What is this?
Sails.js is a realtime MVC web framework for Node.js, designed to make it easy to build custom, enterprise-grade apps and APIs, with a structure inspired by Ruby on Rails.
Sails.js is a realtime MVC web framework for Node.js, designed to make it easy to build custom, enterprise-grade apps and APIs, with a structure inspired by Ruby on Rails.Is it a framework or a library?It's a full framework: it provides the app structure, CLI generators, routing, and an ORM, rather than just a set of utility functions you import.
It's a full framework: it provides the app structure, CLI generators, routing, and an ORM, rather than just a set of utility functions you import.How do I get it running?Install Node, then create a new app and 'lift' (start) the server using the Sails CLI.
Install Node, then create a new app and 'lift' (start) the server using the Sails CLI.Do I need anything installed before using it?Just Node.js (version 0.10.0 or newer) and npm; Sails itself is distributed as an npm package built on Express and Socket.io.
Just Node.js (version 0.10.0 or newer) and npm; Sails itself is distributed as an npm package built on Express and Socket.io.Is upgrading between versions easy?Not automatically — jumping between major versions requires following dedicated upgrade guides published on the Sails website since 2013.
Not automatically — jumping between major versions requires following dedicated upgrade guides published on the Sails website since 2013.Can I reuse my existing Express code?Yes — Sails actions are compatible with Connect middleware, so most existing Express project code can be pasted in directly and will work, with WebSocket support added on top.
Yes — Sails actions are compatible with Connect middleware, so most existing Express project code can be pasted in directly and will work, with WebSocket support added on top.What databases does Sails support out of the box?Officially supported adapters include MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, and local disk/memory, via its built-in ORM called Waterline. Community adapters extend this to CouchDB, SQLite, Oracle, MSSQL, DynamoDB, ElasticSearch, and many more.
Officially supported adapters include MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, and local disk/memory, via its built-in ORM called Waterline. Community adapters extend this to CouchDB, SQLite, Oracle, MSSQL, DynamoDB, ElasticSearch, and many more.Does it support realtime features like chat?Yes, Sails is built on Socket.io alongside Express, so you can use WebSockets to talk to your API in addition to regular HTTP, making it especially suited for realtime features like chat.
Yes, Sails is built on Socket.io alongside Express, so you can use WebSockets to talk to your API in addition to regular HTTP, making it especially suited for realtime features like chat.Do I need to write callback-heavy code?No — since version 1.0, Sails supports async/await out of the box, replacing nested callbacks and their error handling with simpler, familiar syntax.
No — since version 1.0, Sails supports async/await out of the box, replacing nested callbacks and their error handling with simpler, familiar syntax.Why was Sails created instead of using plain Express?The creators built Node.js apps for startups and enterprises and found the ecosystem lacked conventions, so they crystallized their best practices from many projects into this MVC-style framework on top of Express and Socket.io.
The creators built Node.js apps for startups and enterprises and found the ecosystem lacked conventions, so they crystallized their best practices from many projects into this MVC-style framework on top of Express and Socket.io.